The Ikwerre socio-cultural group, Iwhnurohna Progressive Organisation (IPO), says people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality are not Igbo.
Speaking for IPO in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Dr. Okahchukwu Dibia, said the claim that Ikwerre people are Igbos as classified by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its President, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu is rejected.
Dr. Dibia emphasized that it was “not true and can never be true” that all the ancestral communities in Ikwerre originated from Igbo.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ikwerre people are a distinct ethnic nation recognized in Nigeria and the United Nations. Ikwerre language is one of the recognized languages in Nigeria and the United Nations (UN).
“While Ikwerre is our political name, Iwhnurohna is our native name, and both refer to the same people: the Ikwerre ethnic nationality.
“We live and own the Emohua, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City (in alphabetical order) local government areas in Rivers State, Niger Delta, South-South geo-political region of Nigeria”.
Dibia also cited several authorities including scholars like Prof. Otonti Nduka, and insisted that the Ikwerre remained distinct from the Igbo despite similarities in their languages.
“Consequently, IPO’s reply to Iwuanyanwu is that language, name, dances, songs, dressing cannot be and should not be used as determinants of who Ikwerre is.
“IPO wishes to reply to Iwuanyanwu that who a man truly is, is more about his core, innate character and behavior than the physicals he sees.
“IPO’s reply to Iwuanyanwu on the history of Ikwerre is that Iwhnurohna is a Federation of Aborigines and Migrants who have come together under one political roof called Ikwerre Ethnic Nation.
“It is therefore very unthinkable and childish to claim that Ikwerre is Igbo because of the existence of few Aro communities allowed to settle in Ikwerreland.
“Ikwerre history has been well written and documented. Ikwerre is not Igbo.
“In Igboland, due to reckless boundaries delineation between Rivers State and Imo State, Ikwerre people are carved into Imo State. An example is the Ohaji people in Imo state.
“Ohanaeze should know that it is only a handful of Aro people who were allowed to settle in Ikwerre that can trace their origin to Igboland. Therefore, it is very wrong, preposterous, and unacceptable for anyone to say that Ikwerre is Igbo.
“Henceforth, such offensive, insulting, abusive, and insensitive hate claim should not be uttered by Ohanaeze or any other group or individuals from any part of humanity. Iwhnurohna will not tolerate it anymore.
“IPO suggests that Ohanaeze should maintain good neighborliness.
“Ohanaeze, Ijaw, and indeed all ethnic groups in Nigeria should respect their neighbors as distinct people instead of angling and making subtle desperate moves for the unification of the political entity they will dominate. No nation is successfully built on suspicion and domination.
“Ohanaeze should recognize the need to change its antagonistic attitude towards Ikwerre.
“Igbo should stay and develop their five states and let Ikwerre be. Ikwerre is not Igbo.
“IPO wishes to remind Ohanaeze that good neighborliness is better than money, profits, and gains.
“Ohaneze should respect Ikwerre as a distinct ethnic nation instead of insulting Ikwerre through claims that provoke and promote disaffection between Ikwerre and Igbo. Then, we can all co-habit as good neighbors.”